three. major moves three. three stooges free. download free broadcast quality video for your media projects free media r.t. dot com. president. america's poor human rights. to washington's decision to sanction russian diplomats. new dramatic leaks all the noise from a political career in the sun set to outline his plans in a christmas address from the safety of the london embassy. and time magazine named barack obama person of the year for a second time the critics say the u.s. president needs to take stronger action issues such as gun control.

twenty four hours a day this is art. that they were put in has slammed america's human rights record citing indefinite detention and sanctioned torture in overseas prisons speaking to journalists the president also defended moscow's response to washington's decision to sanction russian officials let's now talk to lottie's it will fisk enough for more on this. well you know what has sparked this tough rhetoric from pretty. well the president slammed the magnitsky act passed recently by american lawmakers saying that it's a continuation of a series of anti russian laws like the jackson venue which was abolished recently and putin says that the us is a country which is still uses prisons like i will agree with one time i'm aware of violations of human rights happen on

a daily basis has no rights to criticize the human rights situation in russia or national political and yet you still get it in the. us. where the machine. our us are partners and their lawmakers say they are concerned about human rights in our prisons and that's fine of course but there are plenty of issues they have themselves abu ghraib and guantanamo where for years people have been detained without charge it's inconceivable to go prisoners walk around in chains like in the middle ages legalized torture inside their own country if something like that happened here it would cause an international outcry if you put it all remains quiet in the u.s. we've heard plenty of promises to close guantanamo but it's still there it's still operating maybe there is still torture going on there is no secret cia prisons has anyone been brought to account and they're pointing at our problems well thank you

we're aware of that making this the ground for passing anti russian laws it's something absurd and we have a no way provoked such action. russian lawmakers are currently working on what they say will be a proportional response to the monkey ski act and part of the plan is to introduce a ban for americans to adopt russian children and this has been causing quite a lot of debate in russia and the president has commented on that saying that adoption and the problem with it is that starting in the cases of abuse of russian children adopted by american foster parents but the lack of a proper legal reaction from american authorities to prevent them from reoccurring including the lack of serious punishments the president is also reminded of an adoption agreement signed earlier between russia and the united states and it's supposed to allow russian officials and monitor what happens to children after they

are brought to the u.s. but in reality since each state has its own legislation in america this agreement has no legal force in some of the states or often russian officials aren't even allowed to enter court during hearings and the president said that does all that doesn't only make the agreements useless but also is disrespectful which is another factor of angering russian lawmakers and the goal what else has grabbed journalists attention during putin's media conference today. in light of the antigovernment protests which have been continuing for around a year now the president was also asked a question implying that he's managed to build an author retain a regime in the country during his time in power let's listen to the president's reply. we have his speech it was almost that be i believe that we provided stability which is the perec was it for the development of our country i believe

it's a very important thing but i wouldn't call it authoritarian i can't agree with such an opinion it was the most prominent example that proves my point which it was my decision to take to the sidelines after two terms as president if i thought that to tell a tarion or authoritarian systems would be the most preferable for our country i just changed the constitution to. another issue touched upon at the conference was russia stands on the carpet in syria the president stressed once again that moscow does not support president assad's regime but it also doesn't want to see syria drown in care os and a civil war for the next two years or even which and says it's only up to the syrian people to decide what sort of a political future they want and who they want to see in control of their country who we are going to use we you know we are not concerned about the fate of assad's regime we understand what's going on there the family has been in power for forty

years and i'm daljit lee there's demand for change but we're concerned about what happens next in the country and we just don't want ongoing strife between today's opposition if it takes power and the current government if they become the opposition if this can't go on forever. now on a lighter note putin has also denied speculation that he's been experiencing some problems with his health and has also answered a question which is bothering millions of people right now about the end of the world well the russian president says he knows when the world will end according to him it will happen in a few billion years one of the sun stop shining so these are some of the more serious and less serious issues touched upon at the conference which lasted around four and a half hours continuing the president's tradition of these extended press and included over twelve hundred journalists from different parts of russia and from

abroad ok yes at the end of the world you go pissing off thanks for that. well a man on the front line of the information battle wiki leaks editor julian assange is to give a christmas address he'll deliver his speech from the balcony of the ecuadorian embassy in london where he's been discussed for six months now after being granted political asylum there as much anticipation as to what asylum to say laura smith reports now on possible topics for his address. later on thursday julian assange she is doing something which is usually reserved for heads of state queens the pope people like that he's giving a christmas message from the balcony of the ecuadorian embassy where he's been holed up for the last six months and in fact this speech will mark his six month anniversary inside the ecuadorian embassy now the last time judy and i saw it appeared in public it was back in august and he had to organize a kind of

a rally around the embassy so speeches by politicians and other supporters as a kind of a cannibal atmosphere was balloons and all that kind of thing and then he came on and made his speech and he made a couple of important points one of which was to urge the u.s. to end what he calls the witch hunt against wiki leaks and he also called for the release of bradley manning who is of course being held. on trial in the u.s. accused of leaking classified documents to wiki leaks so those are two things that he may mention again when he talks later on thursday he also may talk about his most recent bid to run for the senate in the two thousand and thirteen australian federal elections he's made that announcement and he's said that wiki leaks is setting up a political party for which plans are significantly advanced and they have received

significant support from notable australians he says that party is designed to promote openness in government and politics and also to combat growing intrusions on individual prissy's one of the things i learnt during the interview that he gave me a couple of weeks ago was that uniform is increasingly unwilling to talk about his personal situation he prefers to stick to the wider issues and so that is why one of the things he may talk about would be the continuing blockade of wiki leaks by visa master card and pay pal that's a case that's ongoing at the moment and also a possible further leak that he mentioned to me they're talking about leaking more documents in the new year watch this space he said. well the battle for transparency has long been a struggle for wiki leaks with only going investigation in the u.s. under the nation's credit card companies a spokesperson for whistle blowing web site kristinn hrafnsson told r.t.

the fight will continue. well we know about the ongoing. investigation and the secret grand jury you know sundry and there is. an ongoing attempt to find an angle to bring charges against julian and possibly all those working for we do so as a very serious matter of course very shameful for the obama administration not to stop that for the man who was right even taken four years ago to increase transparency and what we have seen is totally the opposite witch hunt against whistleblowers. has known persons in history who will continue our work as we have done despite the difficult situation that you has been in in the ecuador embassy you know for six months but probably it was your house arrest that hasn't stopped us we have continued to work. the economic blockade has not stopped us either even though we are getting into a dire situation financially but the battle that we have decided to were torn into

well all out war and until we have a victory there as well in the new year. coming up israel ignores calls from western powers by pressing ahead with plans to build more settlements in occupied territories but examine the televisions a defined constructor plans in the west back later in the program. and that's alone here greece to hold a referendum on breaking away from spain despite madrid found to stop the region from going hello that's all after the break. the stunning beauty of reindeer gracefully dancing across the arctic tundra more than just a female image it is a way of life for sun traditionally the nets people are nomadic reindeer herders and though in many ways they lead a simple and rustic life they are also highly skilled and organized in their

training. another weekend we'll be preparing for. a response this summer depending. on the day we found this particularly camp they were settled near the coast of the ta to see here for families work together to manage nearly a thousand reindeer herding reindeer is not just a job for the people in fact they say it's a part of their entire culture heritage and way of life and back they say that they can use almost every single part of the reindeer to help them survive. a deer is a means of transportation. equipment and clothes for the outside and. the life in the tundra is harsh and so before winter hits many of the children are helicoptered to the center of the district and not even marked for boarding school . students learn different languages utilize modern technologies through

specialized grant programs and even learn arts skills all within a protected environment the school was found. a scientist who wanted a better way of life for his people but even with the most progressive ideas and education many say they don't want to trade the modern life for their beloved. i have returned to the tundra and i actually like it here if you're outside there's fresh air fresh water looks at the site you can see deer it's a joyful sight a sentiment that hopefully ensures that russia's northern reindeer will have caretakers for generations to come. you're watching from the sky. holding you to walk free from

prison earlier than expected court to cut the jail term for the former business partner told him that it may be serving time for oil theft and money laundering. we're joined now by a correspondent for c m expects to turn of events what more can you tell us certainly what we know that the president terms for the two goons were reduced due to a change in russia's prison penal code sensually there's hundreds of thousands of russian businessmen are believed to be serving behind bars for various financial crimes as a result the russian government had decided to soften somewhat its penal code when it comes to those financial crimes of course this case is no ordinary one it's one of the most high profile cases in recent years in russia back in early two thousand the government had accused the two former yukos oil partners of tax evasion yukos was then the largest oil firm in the country it went bankrupt at the assets were

taken over by russia snapped and this has prompted many in the west to. accuse the country of a politically motivated case these are charges that moscow of course denies now before the two men had finished serving their sentences in two thousand and ten a moscow court had given them fresh prison charges this time over accusations of money laundering as well as the charge of stealing more than thirty billion u.s. dollars. this had become somewhat of a poster boy for the russian opposition which says that his continued imprisonment is evidence of the russian state's control over the judiciary despite all this of course that the thursday. that the men will be able to walk by two thousand and fourteen medvedev will be able to go around august and is expected to be released by october. ok thank you ought to be careful for that update. now the un security council is demanding that israel holds its settlement plans in

the occupied west bank and east jerusalem immediately the move to build housing in palestinian lands is seen as illegal under international law israeli media however are reporting that more than three thousand extra homes have been approved in addition to the several thousand given the go ahead earlier this month paula slayer has more. israeli officials say that they're pressing on with plans to build six thousand new homes this defies criticism from western powers who fear that the move will hamper an already strained hopes for peace deal between israelis and palestinians you'll remember that it was just last month after the the fact a recognition of palestinian sovereignty at the united nations that israel made its new announcement in terms of settlement building it said that it would expand settlements in the occupied west bank as well as in east jerusalem and at that time there was international inquiry the point needs to be made that israel continues to

build in i said defiance of international law and as well as of united nations resolutions so many critics are pointing out that is also assertiveness with settlements is part of the reason why it's becoming increasingly isolated by its post now partners primarily in europe but that's not to say that washington is also not losing patience the united states has said that it is deeply disappointed by israeli construction plans in an unpredictably sharp reaction the obama administration has softened the criticism of israel saying that these construction plans run counter to peace the point also needs to be made that next month generally israel will be holding parliamentary elections which is why many are suggesting that these a nonsmoker by the prime minister netanyahu are a means of trying to garner up domestic support as well as change the reality on the ground one of the options that mitt and you know and like minded people.

creating a situation well by the number of certainly will be such a significant one that eventually the solution will be more or less let us get back to the sixty seven borders and let the settlers remain under the palestinian state rather than evacuate them to new areas which will be annexed to israel most of the international community see the settlement construction by tel aviv as illegal certainly the palestinians see it as a real obstacle to creating a viable capital in east jerusalem policy r.t. tel aviv. there's been a mixed reaction over time magazine's decision to name barack obama person of the year for a second time the u.s. president again the award for becoming what they called the symbol and architect of the new america the editor's enthusiasm for u.s. leaders not shared by all americans many remain unconvinced wise actions including

domestic matters such as gun control what is going to church or cannibals. they're choosing president obama as the person of the year second time the first time they gave him the title right after the two thousand and eight election as to someone who had the most influence on global affairs although at that time he hadn't had the time to exercise all that influence but then president obama also received the nobel peace prize in two thousand and nine ers shortly after his election although i guess at that point he hadn't made much peace in the world the award was seen as much more of an advance credit then and acknowledgement of actual achievements on the peace front later president obama went on to spend that credit sending more troops to afghanistan and carrying out regime change in libya under the arguable banner war for the sake of peace as far as his person of the year title critics argue president obama was time choice by default there shortlists this year also included the egyptian leader mohamed morsi and the pakistani girl malala yousafzai

who was shot by the taliban for advocating for women's education president obama may be the person of the year for the time magazine but for advocates of gun control in the u.s. he still has to earn that title to president obama had a news conference where he was asked why no meaningful action has been taken on gun control in the last four years of his presidency although one of his campaign pledges was a ban on assault weapons he basically said he had lots of other things to do including waging two wars and quote it's not like i've been on vacation he said those in the u.s. who suffered in numerous incidents of gun violence would probably not be satisfied with such an answer but the president pledged to finally take more active steps in the coming months he said the administration will come up with a more definitive proposal on gun control but people have heard those words before and nothing happened and getting a semiautomatic weapon is not a problem in the u.s.

adam lanza who killed twenty small children and. six adults at an elementary school last week fired from a semi-automatic bushmaster rifle it's a military style rifle a powerful weapon and its sales are on the rise in the u.s. in the last four years the market for such guns grew thirty percent and it's a kind of pointing that now back to missing turn a stunt abbas says the actions and policies of the us president speak louder than the words of time magazine editors. time magazine's editors giving me giving him the award can only be can only guess impute whatever motive a have to them in terms of what he's actually done we have to look at his policies in terms of workers getting jobs nothing in terms of giving people who are in foreclosure relief not much in terms of peace making he started more wars than george bush and so you know we have to look at his policy rather than what some magazine who may be going to the f.c.c.

or some other regulatory agency for relief for the many t.v. stations the time inc owns rather than that we need to look at his policies well go back to two thousand and eight when he was given supposedly because of the influence he had on international affairs and within four weeks of receiving that said he had no comment about israel's war on gaza that ended up killing fifteen hundred civilians it's pretty meaningless and the thing that's most revealing is they themselves pulled an electoral college over a popular vote scam when they said it's the editor's choice and not the people but the people voting for the president of north korea over the president the united states. well staying stateside you can still be detained and held without trial if you're a u.s. citizen as we report on poverty dot com the washington lawmakers scrapped amendments to the national defense authorization act which protected the rights of americans. and the late than never u.k.

finally agrees to honor the british veterans of the convoy which carried crucial supplies to russia during world war two. spain says it has legal grounds and the power to prevent catalonia from holding a referendum on breaking away after the region's nationalist leaders agree to form a new government and hold a public vote on the go it alone and i r k campaigner for european regional independence says catalonia is ready to be a sovereign state. that's come from that i'm a nation of civil society from up from the sea the sense of cuts i don't know which from two thousand and nine to two thousand and eleven. nations by organized. random. like more than five hundred the people be why they voted yes to get something at that allowed the scenario and then allowed to cap bates about sort of

a nation like human rights universal rights you know i told us all out to explain people about economic facts and about all the benefits that i think that but that it's only up they were better so at this a scenario just created the vocalizing open. to the poor deaf and then that he has been showing the last official result was actually yes well in the last elections would now be in the parliament who do happen majority of members of the parliament which are for it. and they are willing to. referendum. but after the break i will find out some a colorful details about the u.b.s. scandal and much more in capital accounts stay with us.

flying. with me in this old soviet work or so the helicopter is doctors landing near brodsky and his team from the region's medical aviation service we head across animal barren tundra higher and higher into russia's arctic far north until eventually we see our landing spot with arrive at this tiny village after crossing hundreds of kilometers of snow we will do this as a boy here suffering fever and the doctors are going to see what they can do very. inside a small building not one but two babies and their parents are waiting for us the doctors inspect them but can't make a diagnosis and decide to bring them to a regional hospital for better care spread larner doesn't like taking her baby away from home but she's been before and agrees to go that's the usual practice with those who live in atlanta they keep mothers with their newborns in hospital for a month. on the way back another stop to check on the health of some native minutes

reindeer herders out in the tundra it can take many hours to reach the nearest village so our medical problems simply fixed here in the tent that irish are used to being but now we can go to civilized places so we call for emergency help. back at hospital other patients helped by the air ambulance are being treated the service costs fourteen million dollars a year to run and there's been controversy with some claiming that locals exaggerate or make up health problems and use the helicopters as a free taxi service accusations that amir firmly dismisses your brother is not true usually the calls are perfectly justified sometimes we even reproach locals for waiting too long before calling us he's been working as a doctor now for forty three years but vladimir is confident the diva now after he retires his helicopter doctors will remain a lifeline to the peoples of the russian far north.

divine power in action to make the sacraments. i am just so we need these we are under the control of those governing us if i were at the service of a space mafia i found on that date the magnetic fields of the sun will reflux and it will create the super got the stuff. after the second coming it will be a futile place it will receive its glory it will be a renewed world and it will be

a beautiful place. full of the best. little stuff just ammunition. it's good business for us it's kind of like being a doctor you know if there's a disaster or businesses. better unfortunately. good afternoon welcome to capital account i'm lauren lyster here in washington d.c. these are your headlines for wednesday december nineteenth two thousand and twelve u.b.s. has settled over accusations of libel rigging as expected from reports we received earlier this week but we now know colorful details about the traders call each other nicknames like superman and captain chaos which was spelled wrong by the way

that's according to the wall street journal now we get no such color from the federal reserve and its manipulation of rates but that is no points against we'll talk to a former v.p. of public affairs at the federal reserve bank of cleveland about what is lost in fed speak plus the treasury department announced it plans to sell its entire stake in g.m. within fifteen months according to the new york times a reminder of the bailouts in two thousand and eight of course but instead of government bailouts how about innovating out of a slowdown or changing your business model we'll talk to the c.e.o. of car to go north america about dialers adventure in car sharing and from new revenue to no revenue c.b.s. reports instagram is looking for ways to generate some revenue through ads but it will not pimp out its users in ads it backtracked after unleashing a whole bunch of hoopla yesterday after a change to its terms we'll talk about it let's get to today's capital account.